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Soccer News of Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Source: www.brila.net

FIFA Ban: Nigerian govt, sports ministry abandoned me - Siasia

Samson Siasia Samson Siasia

Former Coach Samson Siasia has disclosed that the Nigerian government and the Sports ministry all abandoned him during his life ban ordeal.

In 2019, Siasia was banned for acceding to fix matches in exchange for a bribe. But Siasia denied the allegations, appealing FIFA sanctions.

Earlier in the week, we reported how Siasia’s life ban from football was reduced to a five-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). A fine of CHF 50,000 (US$50,000) imposed by FIFA on Mr Siasia as part of the sanctions was also “set aside”.

"The minister for sports came in few weeks after my ban.

“And the minister called me and said, ‘coach, I know about your problem, but we don’t have money,” Siasia told journalists in Abuja on Friday.

“That was it.

"During my playing days, I had the option to play for the American national team but I choose to represent Nigeria,” he said.

“The American government or even the British government wouldn’t have abandoned me the way Nigeria did,” I’m really disappointed.